The following six months after the memorial service was the most hectic time Konoha had seen since Pain's attack. And yet, a sense of normalcy was restored. It was barely a week after the service before the Fifth Hokage began assigning new missions to those able. The dead laid to rest, the mourning period ended.
Life went on.
Released from the hospital and relying mostly on a wheelchair, Gai helped out at the Academy as an instructor. Between that, going to physical therapy, and helping Kakashi prepare for his eventual coronation as the Sixth Hokage, Gai was able to stay busy and regain most of his positive attitude. Both Tenten and Lee had worried that the loss of both Neji and his own ability to go on missions would cause him to despair. But with their teacher in good hands, they could concentrate on something else for a change.
Lee had a ton of high-ranked missions from the get-go. Tenten was initially apprehensive. The terror of something horrible happening to him roiled the anxiety in her gut and wouldn't quite leave no matter how much he said he'd be okay.
"Tenten," Lee said, a tiny bit exasperated, "There will always be at least one other person accompanying me! I will be fine, I promise." They were standing at the front gate together. Lee had come back from his fourth mission that week and was about to go on his fifth. He was refusing to leave until he could calm her fears. She stood by him in silence, worrying at her lip. He placed his hands on her shoulders, turning her to face him, "Please trust me." He gave her a patented Nice Guy Pose.
She shook her head and smiled a little bit in spite of herself. He was really trying to give her peace of mind. "Fine. But!" Tenten said, pointing a finger at him, "I'll watch you leave and be here when you come back! So you better keep your promise." He grinned at her and ran off to join Shino, who had patiently been waiting for them to finish up. Tenten watched him walk away until she couldn't make out the distinctive green of his jumpsuit against the forest.
Though her anxiety over Lee and Gai kept her up at night, she had to put all her energy into a new assignment.
After the war, all villages were facing a weapons shortage; not a single kunai could spared. Even though it was now a time of peace, no village wanted to be ill-equipped to handle any incoming threats. The newly formed Shinobi Union decided to create a committee whose sole focus was the manufacturing and equal distribution of arms. As the Hokage's choice, Tenten got appointed as Konoha's Weapons Expert, who was then nominated as the committee's leader by unanimous vote.
She worked all day, every day, stopping only for an hour to eat lunch or dinner. Her normal routine included meeting with arms manufacturers, coordinating with fellow committee members, sending reports to the Shinobi Union, and endless studying of different weapons and what exactly goes into making them.
It was demanding, tiring work that took up almost all her free time. Even so, she would try to carve out time to see Gai for an hour, or grab a quick lunch with Lee before or after his mission. She always saw him off at the gate and was there when he returned. That was the only way she could keep her anxiety over him down.
She was consistently driven to the point of exhaustion every day. She passed out over her work more times than she'd like to admit. There was no time to worry over Gai and Lee, but she did anyways.
_
"Watch out!" Lee pulled Tenten back out of yet another person's way before she ran into them. Tenten had her nose buried in a thick book. "You really should pay attention to where you're going," Lee scolded. "Sorry," Tenten replied, turning the page, "but I need to finish going over this." He walked behind her, hands on her shoulders to guide her through the throng of people. "Are you going to be back in time for Naruto's birthday celebration? It is next week," he asked, reading over her shoulder.
"Should be. If this gets approved, I'll be back at least a day before," she said, brow furrowed in concentration.
Lee's eyebrows raised, "Ah, so this the finished proposal? If it gets approved, will you finally be able to slow down?" Concern colored his voice.
"Mhm."
He tilted his head, trying to make sense of it while deftly navigating the both of them to the front gate. "I am sure that it will go through, Tenten! You have worked so hard on this!" She faintly flushed with pride at the compliment, "Thanks Lee." Honestly, she had poured every bit herself into this project and almost lost all her sanity. It better damn well be good. With a snap, she shut book and looked up; they were already at the gate.
"You know…" she said, "I think this is the first time you've sent me off…". He rubbed his chin, "Yeah, I think you are right. Most of the time when you leave, I am busy." They were quiet for a few moments, as neither were sure what to do, before Lee pulled her into a tight hug. "Everything will go fine! I believe in you!"
Surprise tears sprung into her eyes. She couldn't remember the last time someone hugged her like they meant it. After spending all of her waking moments working on her own, she almost had forgotten what physical affection felt like. Tenten returned the hug fiercely and pressed her face into his shoulder to wipe away the tears. They stayed like that for a moment before pulling apart; Lee was beaming at her. She grinned right back, his smile was infectious.
"Alright I have to go. I'll let you know when they decide."
"Promise?"
She nodded, "Promise."
He waved at her while she was walking away. Tenten could still see him every time she turned around and waved back, until he was no more than an enthusiastic looking dot.
_
Suna's weapons committee representative was to be waiting for her at the border. Yet, she was instead greeted by a familiar blonde woman. "Ah, there you are!" Temari waved, "the weapons committee member fell ill, so I agreed to meet you." Tenten immediately felt nervous. Though Temari became somewhat of a normal sight in Konoha, she and Tenten still weren't exactly on the best of terms. Humiliating defeat tended to do that. "Temari," Tenten replied, voice even. Temari looked behind her, "Shikamaru's not with you?"
"Nope, he went on ahead yesterday."
"Oh." Disappointment flooded her voice. "Well," Temari recovered, "this will give me a chance to talk to you with no one else around." Tenten stiffened, feeling herself on edge, "About what?" The other woman started walking, "You know, about things." From what she knew about Temari, this was awfully indirect and vague of her. Tenten followed her, unable to get herself to relax.
An hour passed, and Tenten was about to go crazy from curiosity. "What did you need to talk to me about?"
Temari kept walking ahead, "I respect you as our weapons committee leader. I respect you as a fellow kunoichi and as an ally of Suna." She waited, seeming to struggle with finding the right words. Minutes passed. "I…What happened between us at the Chuunin Exam…I wanted to apologize."
Tenten felt her temper flare, but she tamped it down, "There's nothing to apologize for, you beat me fair and square." She didn't want to pity just because she lost.
The blonde looked at her for a moment before continuing, "That may be true, but I didn't have to be such an asshole about it." She shook her head, "I was arrogant. I didn't respect you as an opponent, and I really am sorry." They stopped in the middle of the road and stared at each other.
Tenten sighed, rubbing the back of her head. She considered Temari's apology, and the petty side of her didn't want to forgive her. But, she remembered Lee and Gaara's fight, and how despite crippling him, Lee forgave Gaara.
Nothing like that happened between her and Temari. It wouldn't kill her to accept the apology. She smiled, "I accept your apology." Temari seemed a little taken aback, as if she didn't expect Tenten's forgiveness. "We're allies now, and it's all water under the bridge." Tenten stated before standing beside her, hand extended. The blonde smiled and shook her hand.
They continued on in silence for another hour before Temari spoke again, "So can I ask you something?"
"Hm?"
"Is…" Temari went red, "Is Shikamaru seeing anyone or—"
Tenten snorted so hard, she almost swallowed a bug, "Nuh uh. I don't think he's interested in anyone right now."
Temari considered this information in silence. Tenten resisted rolling her eyes, "Not to say you don't have a chance. I'm only going off of what Ino told me. She said he's turned down every girl in Konoha that's approached him."
At that, Temari went even redder, "I never said I wanted to date him, I was just curious….But could you tell me more?"
_
Tenten decided she liked Temari after they both went out for drinks to celebrate the proposal getting ratified. Temari outdrank her and everyone else, then taught her how to cheat at cards so she could "get the boys to get naked" during strip poker. Neither of them had laughed that hard in months.